South Coast Wind has plan with 40 turbines off Westport

This plan calls for the wind turbine area to extend from the mainland of Dartmouth and Westport to the north end of the Buzzards Bay navigational channel, "running from Hens & Chickens Reef to the west edge of the channel to New Bedford Harbor."

The total number of wind turbines in the entire Buzzards Bay would range anywhere from 90 to 120. They would produce 300 megawatts of energy. Patriot estimates the project cost at $750 million.

Study area #1 shows turbines starting at Sconticut Neck and West Island in Fairhaven and extending to New Bedford Harbor and Nasketucket Bay. Study area #2 starts at the Buzzards Bay navigational channel and Elizabeth Islands, running from Sow and Pigs Reef and Wood's Hole.

"The exact number and placement of turbines will be determined through environmental studies and input from stakeholders," the proposal states.

Selectman Duncan Albert said the public needs to be informed about the plans showing wind turbines off Westport. He said he is in favor of it.

"I'm in favor of alternative energy sources such as wind turbines," Mr. Albert said. "I think we don't worry enough about our capacity in this environment. The aesthetics of them is a different issue. I guess you get used to them."

Former Selectman Russell Hart said he also thinks they are a good idea. "I'm in favor of wind farms," he said. "I think it's the way to go ."

Mr. Hart said there are 30 wind turbines in a line in Copenhagen Harbor and they are also being used in Russia.

"But they might run into problems trying to put them off the Hens & Chickens," he said.

Mr. Hart said it is his recollection that about a one mile circle around the Old Cock Spindle was established by the state as a wilderness area. "You can't even go there and remove stones. They did allow fishing and lobstering," he said.

The Hens & Chickens are also notorious for tangling with large fishing vessels over the years. The Angela cement barge met its demise here about 35 years ago. After hitting the Hens & Chickens Reef, a Bouchard Transportation Co. barge spilled more than 90,000 gallons of oil a few years back. But maybe the wind turbines would steer hapless mariners away from these rocks.

The wind generated by the South Coast turbines would be transmitted by submarine cable to the mainland electrical transmission system near Egypt Lane in Fairhaven. The lane is located near the bike path.

Patriot said it conducted a year long study of possible sites for offshore wind turbines in Massachusetts. Several sites were studied to see if they produced sufficient wind on a consistent basis.

One was in Boston Harbor but it was in the flight path for Logan Airport. Another was off Scituate but it is "susceptible to NE ocean storms." Another was in Nantucket Sound where Cape Wind Associates is proposing a similar project.

paulisio@eastbaynewspapers.com